Ready-made doughs that are storage stable at freezing or refrigeration temperatures are desirable for commercial and home baking. They minimize a cook's preparation time and are easy to use. Examples of refrigerated doughs are known and include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,801; U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,563; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,315. These refrigerated doughs are typically packaged and stored in a can. They are also typically limited to storage at refrigeration temperatures and cannot alternatively be stored at freezing temperatures.
Yet it can be desirable to have a dough that can be stored at both refrigeration and freezing temperatures. For example, a dough can be shipped frozen and stored frozen prior to use. Alternatively, a dough can be shipped frozen, stored frozen, and then refrigerated prior to use. Further, a dough can also be shipped under refrigerated conditions and then stored.
To prepare a dough that can be refrigerated and frozen, the general problems that arise from refrigeration and freezing should be addressed. For example, doughs that are refrigerated or frozen can prepare products that are doughy or gummy in texture or that result in less than desirable leavening due to premature reaction of the leavening system. Refrigerated and frozen doughs can also have the problems of dough graying and susceptibility to microbial contamination.
Thus, it is desirable to develop a dough that can be stored at freezing and refrigeration temperatures and that can still provide desirable baked products.